Some schools mull tighter security after Connecticut shootings

In the wake of the recent school shooting in Newtown, Conn., some St. Lawrence County school districts are reviewing their security procedures to ensure their schools are safe.

Many schools now practice regular lockdown procedures, with drills in place to ensure the safety of as many students and staff as possible in the event of an emergency.

The Potsdam Central School District held a parents meeting Monday to reassure the community their schools were safe.

Approximately 20 parents showed up and were informed that starting Monday, the district began locking its classroom doors while school was in session.

If someone did get in the building, they would have to force their way into a classroom, said Lawrence Avenue Elementary Principal Larry B. Jenne, who also chairs the districts safety committee.

At both the elementary and high school visitors must be buzzed into the building.

At the middle school visitors walk directly into the buildings office.

If someone wanted to get in, they would have to fight my secretary, Middle School Principal Jamie Cruikshank said, adding hes expecting additional security upgrades to be discussed for the middle school in the near future.

Throughout the years we have increased security in the various buildings, he said. Now its the middle schools turn.

Our school is safe. Its probably one of the safest places to be, Mr. Jenne said. When these kids walk in the building they are like our kids.

School administrators, along with local law enforcement agencies, collaborate to improve safety procedures, he said.

Both the New York State Police and the St. Lawrence County Sheriffs office have provided a visible presence in our school each day this week and we are thankful for their assistance, said Mr. Saiff.

At Morristown Central School, Superintendent David J. Glover said the school is walking a fine line between maintaining a sense of openness and ensuring security.

Its a balance between being family friendly and community oriented, but at the time we want to keep our kids safe. Its a gentle balance, said Mr. Glover.

Currently all doors are locked at Morristown during the day, and the only point of access is the main entrance that is monitored by a security camera and the main office secretary.

Right now its just making sure that the rules we have in place are enforced, said Mr. Glover. Teachers are encouraged to teach with their doors locked.

Additionally, Mr. Glover said, he hopes to install a buzzer system on the front entrance during a future building project. He isnt sure when that might happen, but said security upgrades will be a high priority when it does.

Clifton-Fine Central School reviewed its security plan this week, internally and with state police, who gave it high marks, interim Superintendent Susan O. Shene said.

Its been very nice to have law enforcement here as a proactive measure, she said.

The district may tweak its plan by increasing the number of safety drills it has annually as a way to keep security fresh in the minds of staff and students and to determine if changes should be made, she said.

Colton-Pierrepont Central School Superintendent Joseph A. Kardash also said his school has been consulting with state police.

Retired Trooper and School Resource Officer Juddy Plumb offered some valuable expertise and perspective to the Board of Education members on Wednesday concerning safety. He offered some insightful suggestions that are being implemented, Mr. Kardash said.

At Gouverneur Central School, the district has monthly staff meetings to review its safety plan.

At the October meeting, administrators decided to update the key card access for doors that require a card with a computer barcode for admittance. The software update will allow that cards can be turned off and on automatically. For example, if a card is lost, its access can be turned off so that security is not compromised, and turned back on if the card is found.

While it appears that was related to this incident, this started in October, Superintendent Lauren F. French said.

The staff has become more vigilant generally in reaction to the Sandy Hook incident.

It just tightens up, Mrs. French said. Its another level of security.

Madrid-Waddington Central School had a two-hour delay Monday to review their security protocol and prepare for students safety concerns.

In the coming months, administrators and the Board of Education plan to review and make changes to its current safety procedures.

Parents will be no longer allowed to drop their children off at their respective classrooms, and Madrid-Waddington is considering placing a security guard at its front door.

This person will probably already be on our staff, Mrs. Roy said. It would just be one more deterrent. As we all learned last week, any additional obstacles we can put in the way could help save lives.

While the board acknowledged incidents like Sandy Hook are rare, they think the review of their safety protocol was necessary.

Unfortunately, schools werent designed for this. They were designed to be institutions of learning, Mrs. Roy said. But the important thing is to not forget how we feel right now. We have to put the safety of our students first.

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